Briefly, the invention relates to decoys in general and in particular to waterfowl decoys for use in water.
Much effort and expense has been expended to perfect waterfowl decoys. Illustrative of such efforts are the inventions of Messrs. C. L. Weems and Paul D. Mays for Decoy Gang Actuating Mechanism set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 2,252,795 which issued Aug. 19, 1941, hereinafter Weems-May; of R. R. Majors for Anchor, U.S. Pat. No. 2,595,966 which issued May 6, 1951, hereinafter Majors; of W. G. Peterson and Eugene Cadwallader for Device for Attracting Wild Geese and Ducks as illustrated, described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,016,647 which issued Jan. 16, 1962, hereinafter Peterson-Cadwallader; of P. E. Miller who on July 3, 1956, was issued U.S. Pat. No. 2,752,715 for Animated Wildfowl Decoy, hereinafter Miller; of Joseph Coudon whose Device for Decoying Ducks was patented June 25, 1901, by U.S. Pat. No. 677,118 and whose Decoy Duck was patented Oct. 7, 1902, by U.S. Pat. No. 710,433, hereinafter respectively Coudon #1 and Coudon #2; of R. B. Prince for Decoy Duck Setter, U.S. Pat. No. 1,836,504 which issued Dec. 13, 1931, hereinafter Prince; of H. G. Beverman for Duck Decoy Support as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,624,144 which issued Jan. 6, 1953, hereinafter Beverman; of H. G. Wethall for the Floating Decoy of another U.S. Pat. No. 970,003 which issued Sept. 13, 1910, hereinafter Wethall; and, of J. Danz, Jr., for a Decoy Duck, U.S. Pat. No. 244,038 which issued July 12, 1881, hereinafter Danz.
Generally a set of decoys comprises a plurality of waterfowl replicas, all attached together by some form of interconnection means such as lines or cables. As illustrated by the Weems-May, Majors, Peterson-Cadwallader, Miller, Coudon #1, and Beverman inventions, it is generally thought that the authenticity of a decoy set is enhanced if the waterfowl replicas are animated. Beverman provides for a combination of swimming action and body movement, specifically, wing flapping. The Weems-Mays and Peterson-Cadwallader inventions each provide for movement of the decoy set to simulate swimming action.
Both Weems-Mays and Peterson-Cadwallader include a permanent anchor, either natural or artificial, to which decoys attached to a main line are attached, and an elastic band which is connected between the decoys and the permanent anchor. After the anchor is permanently emplaced, by pulling on the main line, the elastic band is stretched to move the decoys attached to the main line in one direction. Upon releasing the line, the band contracts and the decoys move in the other direction. Weems-Mays utilizes a series of side lines connected to but positioned at a right angle to the main line, and the decoys are attached to the side lines. In this way, individual decoys in a single decoy set are prevented from bunching up and a common direction formation swimming action is imparted to the decoys. The Peterson-Cadwallader invention includes a rigid frame to absolutely insure spaced apart separation of the individual decoys and the swimming action is again common direction, formation-like movement.
A general object of the invention is to provide a waterfowl decoy set.
An object of the invention is to provide a decoy set in which the decoys are animated.
Another object of the invention is a decoy set in which simulated swimming action is imparted to the decoys.
An additional object of the invention is a decoy set in which the swimming action of the individual decoys tends to be random.
A further object of the invention is a decoy set in which the individual decoy swimming action tends to be random yet in which the individual decoys tend to remain spread apart.
Yet another object of the invention is an animated, completely "shore-manned" decoy set, i.e., a set which can be placed in the water, maneuvered (swimming action imparted), and retrieved from the water, all without a person ever entering the water.
One object of the invention is a partly shore-manned decoy set which can be maneuvered and retrieved from shore.
Still an additional object of the invention is an animated, completely shore-manned decoy set in which the individual decoys tend to swim randomly, the individual decoys also tend to remain spread apart, and the decoys remain untangled.